As Jordan Spieth's chip from the short side of the green slid into the cup on No. 15, Justin Thomas could only shake his head in surprise and smile, guiding the duo to a record-tying fourth straight team triumph this week at the Presidents Cup.
On Saturday, September 24, 2022, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Justin Thomas, left, and Jordan Spieth, center, celebrate with Davis Love III, captain of the USA team, after winning their fourball match at the Presidents Cup golf event on the 15th green.
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
As the fans at Quail Hollow erupted in boisterous chanting of "USA! USA! USA!," Thomas motioned with both palms to Spieth, as if inviting him to take a big, long bow.
To be honest, both deserved it.
The 4-and-3 victory over the International pair of Hideki Matsuyama and Taylor Pendrith moved them to 4-0 as playing partners this week, making them the first American duo to do so since Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker in 2009.
In 2015, Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace did it for the International squad. Over the last three days, Spieth and Thomas have defeated four different teams in foursome and fourball matches. "We have complete faith and belief in our ability to defeat anybody we face," Thomas remarked. "You know, whether it's a Presidents Cup, a Ryder Cup, or a money game, we like and try to embrace the challenge."
This week, the pair has been dominating, not needing to complete the entire 18 holes to win a match. "They simply kept producing birds," Pendrith observed, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. "I'm not sure how many birds they had, but it felt like a lot." It was eight o'clock.
Eight of them, in fact, in 14 holes after going one down after No. 1.
They are presently 8-2 as a team, including a 4-2 record in Ryder Cup competition. It was the first time they were partnered together in the Presidents Cup this week, but it almost probably won't be the last.
Thomas attributed their achievement to their "faith" in one another. "Whether it's alternate shot or best ball, you have to have faith in your partner," Thomas remarked.
"And you know there will be no apologies...." We simply know we're both extremely excellent players, and the chances of both of us getting out of a hole are slim."
They've known each other since they were 13 and played together in the final round of the Junior All-Star tournament in Walnut Creek, Texas, southwest of Dallas, in the spring of 2007.
They competed against each other all summer and were both chosen to represent the United States at the Evian Masters Junior Cup in France. When they shared a room, their bond blossomed. They became closer friends when they achieved success as amateurs and on the PGA Tour.
They're something remarkable as a group. In their two best ball matches, they had no bogeys and only two in alternative shot. On Saturday, Thomas tried 10 putts, saying that "I picked up my coin more than I putted." "Watching him stand over strokes and putts gives me such much confidence," Spieth said.
"And it's so much fun because I have a feeling it's going to go in every time when he's over it, and I'm just waiting to see how he reacts." This occurred often this week."
The duo will have to split up for singles play on Sunday, with the United States leading the 12 singles matches 11-7. The cup is won by the first team to reach 15 1/2 points. But the memories they've built this week have been particularly memorable.
Thomas stated that he and Spieth had discussed participating in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup together since their days of playing junior golf and enjoying success on the major international stage. That dream has come true, and they are loving every minute of it.
"It's simply odd," Thomas stated. "It's one of those situations where if one is off, the other is on, and vice versa." Man, it's a terrific quality, and I really hope we keep it up because it doesn't get much better out here than this."
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